Sept. 3 (1916)

Matt Diedrichsen plays for the All-American Team in a tie with Norway during the team’s tour of Norway and Sweden. The team is considered the first U.S. National Team. Diedrichsen is the only St. Louisan on the team. His appearance against Norway is recognized as his only cap for the United States. The Americans will win three games, lose one and tie two on their trip in August and September. Diedrichsen, who plays professionally for Innisfails in the St. Louis League, will reminisce about what he learned from playing against foreign opponents during the tour in a letter to James Robinson, dated Oct. 6, 1965: “I attained some skill at stopping or trapping with my legs, body or head, a hard kicked ball without losing the ball from the rebound. (I also) learned to remain at my position as inside left forward, rather than roam or stray, as was practiced by many St. Louis forwards during my time. I also learned to follow the movement of the ball at all times which developed good judgment in timing and rebound of the ball when taking a pass from one of my teammates or breaking up a play of the opponents.” Robinson will include Diedrechsen’s comments in Robinson’s “The History of Soccer in the City of St. Louis,” his doctoral thesis at St. Louis University in 1966.